/ 19 October 2003

Tongans denied by rattled Welsh

Tonga outscored Wales by three tries to two here on Sunday but were unlucky to be edged out 27-20 by an unconvincing Welsh side in their Pool D clash.

Tonga’s sole consolation was picking up a bonus point for losing by seven points while Wales owed a lot to former captain Martyn Williams who came on to score eight points in the second-half but if kicker Pierre Hola had been in form Tonga would have run out comfortable winners.

Stephen Jones edged Wales a converted try ahead shortly after half-time with a penalty but he missed two penalties before the 50 minute mark which would have put the Welsh in the comfort zone.

The Welsh managed to finally extend their lead through the unlikely figure of Williams, as the flanker dropped a goal from in front of the posts just after the hour mark.

However the irrepressible Tongans bounced back as a stunning 20 metres rolling maul saw Benhur Kivalu emerge as the try scorer but a minute later it was Williams again who drove a stake into Tonga’s heart as he scored in the corner and Jones added the conversion to make it 27-15.

Back came the Tongans and after some spoiling tactics by the Welsh in trying to run the clock down landed their third try when the biggest man on the pitch prop Heamani Lavaka rumbled over in the corner.

Stephen Jones had opened Wales’ account in the fifth minute with a sweetly struck penalty but Pierre Hola levelled the score five minutes later with a long range effort wide out after Dafydd Jones had deliberately thrown the ball into touch to stop their opponents feeding the ball back to the backs.

However Jones slotted his second penalty shortly afterwards to bring up his 250th point for the Dragons to restore the three point margin.

Scrum-half Gareth Cooper scored an opportunist try — his fourth for his country — after 26 minutes as he saw the blindside was unguarded and taking the ball from the scrum sauntered round and unchallenged touched down in the corner.

The adventurous Tongans crossed the line shortly afterwards as Rhys Williams failed to gather the wet ball and Hola picked it up to touch down — converting it for due measure to leave Wales ahead by a point.

However Hola proved nobody is perfect as he missed an opportunity to put them into the lead when he missed wide of the posts a kickable penalty with eight minutes to go to the break. – Sapa-AFP